William said nothing, but he stopped short. Mr. Carter, after eying him for an instant, went on into the dining-room. His wife, Daniel, Emily, and Leigh were sitting around the table, eating the second course disconsolately. “I thought you’d never come--and we were hungry,” Mrs. Carter said apologetically. “Miranda, go and get the soup for Mr. Carter. I had it kept hot,” she added, glancing anxiously toward the hall door. They could hear William walking to and fro again. As Miranda disappeared for the soup, Mr. Carter looked up. He glanced at his wife meaningly. “She’s out riding with that man,” he said in an undertone. “Johnson!” His wife’s dismay only brought a grim smile to Carter’s face. He unfolded his napkin without further comment. Before Miranda returned with the soup-tureen, Mrs. Carter rallied sufficiently to lean over and murmur across the table: “I’ve got a lot to tell you--that dreadful girl was with that man this morning--behind the Methodist Church! I saw--” She stopped, for Leigh had risen suddenly. He flung his napkin on the table and stalked out of the room with a white face. Mr. Carter stared after him. “What the--” he began. Emily touched his hand warningly. Miranda was returning. “Leigh’s awfully mashed on Fanchon,” Emily whispered irrelevantly, returning to her dinner. Mr. Carter shut his mouth hard, and the conversation languished. Daniel spoke once about the weather, and his father nodded. “Judge Jessup handed out a lot of compliments for you to-day, Dan,” he remembered suddenly. Mrs. Carter looked pleased, but even this fell flat. They could hear William’s tramp continuing after Leigh went up-stairs. Mr. Carter rose once and went to the door. “Aren’t you coming in to eat your dinner, William?” he demanded. “I’ve dined,” William replied shortly. “Then I think you’d better go into the library and sit down,” said his father meaningly. William, halting in his walk, stared for a moment, puzzled. Then he understood, and a deep red went up to his forehead. Without a word, he turned, went into the library, and shut the door. Miranda had brought on the dessert, but only Emily and Daniel ate it. There was a heavy silence. Mr. Carter sat moodily, apparently listening, and Mrs. Carter could think of nothing to say. She tried two or three times and stopped, aghast at her own temerity. The three vacant chairs--William’s, Fanchon’s, and Leigh’s--seemed to gape at them. Daniel finally rose. “I’ve got to prepare a paper for Judge Jessup,” he remarked quietly, and left the room. They heard him light his cigar and go up-stairs. It was then that Mr. Carter rose also and went as usual into the library. Emily and her mother, left alone, gaped at each other in a startled way. They heard voices in the library, and then a heavy silence, filled with the odor of tobacco. Emily began to be a little frightened. “Mama, do you suppose she’s run away?” she whispered in an awed tone.